According to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, if emissions continue to rise at the current rate, the global average temperature will increase 2.6-4.8ºC, and sea levels will become 0.45-0.82 metres higher by the end of this century. Urban ecosystems are especially sensitive to weather-related events and climate change impacts, which are accelerated in built-up areas.

Despite the success of initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors, few local authorities have implemented policies for adapting to climate change. Municipalities across Europe could benefit from a common methodology for developing sustainable energy and climate action plans.

Objectives

LIFE ADAPTATE’s main objective is to contribute to improving climate policy and legislation at local level in the European Union, in line with the EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change and the 2030 climate and energy framework. The project targets in particular, the process of design and implementation of local adaptation policies, their coordination with mitigation actions and the adaptation of local policies to meet climate change challenges.

Specific objectives are to:

Help six municipalities in Spain, Portugal and Latvia to develop sustainable energy and climate action plans. These ‘SECAPS’ will incorporate the synergies, experiences and know-how of stakeholders, supporting latest technologies and a public participative approach;

Implement, monitor and assess the SECAPs in order to improve them and collate experiences for subsequent replication and transfer;

Demonstrate the positive impacts of pilot actions related to mitigation /adaptation at local level and the different approaches that can be used to address similar risks in local authority areas across Europe, i.e. widening the knowledge base of adaptation measures;

Test and demonstrate cooperation schemes among local authorities in the three countries and highlight the positive impacts of involving members of the public;

Demonstrate and transfer the process of including the evaluation of climate change impact and development of mitigation and adaptation measures policies at local level, especially in planning-related policies and projects; and

Develop resources and guidelines for transfer and replication of tools, results and achievements.

Expected results:

Six municipalities in Spain, Portugal and Latvia to have carried out local vulnerability assessment studies and developed and implemented sustainable energy and climate action plans;

A further 18 local authorities to have begun preparing similar plans within two years of the end of the project;

Registration of at least six municipalities in the Covenant of Mayors with future registration of at least 18 additional municipalities in Spain, Portugal and Latvia;

Reduction of the average temperatures by 2ºC in pilot areas of Águilas, Cartagena and Lorca (Spain) and Alfândega da Fé and Mértola (Portugal). This will be achieved by creating shaded areas and a natural lagoon of around 1 000 m2;

Increased resilience to flooding in Smiltene, Latvia (population: 14 000) through the restoration of Lake Vidusezers;

Encouragement of natural regeneration of native plant species in Mértola through the creation of a 2.4 ha woodland;

Instituto de Fomento de Región de Murcia (INFO) is the development agency for the region of Murcia, an autonomous community of southeastern Spain. The institute’s main role is to boost the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Murcia by promotion of the economy, investment-raising, elimination of obstacles and encouragement of competitiveness.